Royal Green Jackets - Amalgamations of 2007

Amalgamations of 2007

As part of the 2004 restructuring of the infantry, the RGJ was scheduled to be largely unaffected - though the regiment had already been reduced to two Regular battalions in 1992. The regiment would have received a new Territorial Army battalion through the grouping together of the various RGJ companies of the Royal Rifle Volunteers and the London Regiment.

However, on 24 November 2005 it was announced that after discussions between The Light Infantry and the RGJ, the two would be merged with the Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry and Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry (RGBW) by the end of 2007 to form a single large regiment to be called The Rifles. The new regiment was to contain five Regular Battalions and two TA Battalions.

The reorganisation into "The Rifles" took effect on 1 February 2007:

• The 1st Battalion Royal Green Jackets became 2nd Battalion, The Rifles
• The 2nd Battalion Royal Green Jackets became 4th Battalion, The Rifles
• the surviving Territorial Army companies of 4 & 5 RGJ, along with a company of the RGBW became 7th Battalion, The Rifles

The Maltese Cross cap badge of the RGJ was adopted as the belt badge of The Rifles and will carry the battle honours. The Rifles is a Rifle Regiment and as such will not carry colours. The title "rifleman" was adopted for soldiers of the rank of private, as it had been with the Royal Green Jackets.

The Royal Green Jackets had four Combined Cadet Force units, which were part of the London Oratory School CCF, Winchester College CCF, Rutlish School CCF and Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe CCF (which was originally attached to the Buckinghamshire Battalion).